Northampton Town 2-0 Oldham Athletic
Stu Vose
John Sheridan labelled his side a 'soft touch' after Northampton wrapped up a comprehensive home victory.
A below-par Latics outfit were made to pay as second-half goals from Giles Coke and Ryan Gilligan secured a maximum points haul for the hosts.
The result lifts Stuart Gray's side above Athletic and into 10th place in League One with two games to go.
And in truth the Cobblers were never really threatened by a visiting who laboured without any real end product.
Indeed Latics' best chance of the game came in the closing minutes, while Northampton could have had more goals bar some excellent saves from Mark Crossley.
The pace of the game rarely rose above end-of-season pace, but when it did it was Town making all the gains.
They were up and about from the off, dominating proceedings after Deane Smalley tested keeper Mark Bunn with an early back-header from close range.
Ex-Latic Andy Holt began a productive afternoon by heading just over before Adebayo Akinfenwa's powerful header was hacked off the line by Neal Eardley.
The deadlock should have been broken shortly afterwards when Akinfenwa's shot on the turn was palmed out by the diving Crossley
The loose ball spun straight to Holt with the goal at his mercy, but the Cobblers man missed his kick in comedy style and the chance was gone.
While he wasn't to be a scorer, Holt almost turned creator when he crossed deep for Poul Hubertz, whose goalbound header was clawed behind by Crossley.
And Northampton underlined their dominance by creating a superb chance just before the break, Coke racing clear but placing an angled shot just past the post.
Athletic needed to step things up in the second period to take anything from the game -- but they got off to the worst possible start.
A corner from the right fell kindly to Coke on the edge of the area, and he let fly with a low shot which took a deflection and flashed past a wrong-footed Crossley.
Smalley nearly fashioned an impromptu leveller when he scooped the ball out of the air with some great control and measured a half-volley just over the top.
But if Athletic harboured any hopes of a comeback, they were gone when Holt teed up his side's second goal.
His slide-rule pass put Gilligan in the clear and the relieved midfielder slammed home the rebound after Crossley did well to save his initial effort.
With the game all but wrapped up, the hosts throttled back but still could have extended their lead had Stefan Stam not scrambled Danny Jackman's shot off the goal-line.
Ironically after a quiet 90 minutes Athletic's best chance to score came just moments before the final whistle.
Kelvin Lomax's long-range blast was spilled by Bunn, who was up quickly to claim the rebound before the waiting Wolfenden could poke home a consolation.
Latics: Crossley, Eardley, Lomax, Stam, Gregan, Jarrett (Chalmers, 67), Smalley, Eardley, Allott, Liddell (Alessandra, 67), Wolfenden.
Subs Not Used: Black, Kelly, O'Donnell.
Booked: Eardley.
Northampton: Bunn, Crowe, Jackman, Gyepes, Doig, Coke, Akinfenwa, Holt, Gilligan (Larkin, 74), Jones, Hubertz.
Subs Not Used: Hayes, Dolman, Dyer, Dunn.
Booked: Gilligan, Akinfenwa.
Goals: Coke (51), Gilligan (63).
Att: 5,171 (374 away)
Referee: Mr D Drysdale
